ATLANTA, March 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Carla Hall, Bravo's Top Chef finalist and advocate for healthy, balanced food, will team up with Alere Health at the 8th Annual World Health Care Congress (WHCC) in Washington, D.C., to offer cooking demonstrations, exclusive recipes and dish out samples, all from Alere's exhibit booth April 4 – 6.

Alere Health, the health management services business of Alere Inc., provides health and wellness programs to health plans and large employers nationwide. "Making moderate, lasting changes in diet and other lifestyle choices is truly the key to reducing health risks," said Alere Health CEO Tom Underwood. "We are honored that Carla shares our vision for empowering individuals to make healthy eating choices."

Known for her unique combination of comfort food infused with Southern, as well as French inspirations, Carla believes that healthy eating can taste good – especially when combined with fresh organic fruits, vegetables and herbs. She shares five simple steps for a healthy and more balanced life.

1.Keep it simple. Eating healthy doesn't have to be complicated. Carla notes that often people substitute easy for healthy. She suggests trying a healthy fruit smoothie for breakfast; making a chocolate banana protein shake for a snack; and always having lots of fruit, nuts and fresh veggies around for snacking as opposed to chips.

2. Get three to four meals out of one. Planning ahead lets you cook one meal and enjoy it several times throughout the week. A roast chicken can be used for quesadillas, chicken salad, tacos, etc.

3. Meet the Crock-pot − the best friend for busy families. "To save time, toss some vegetables, fresh herbs and your choice of protein into a Crock-pot and let it do its magic," says Carla. "It's easy, tastes great and dinner will be done when you come home from work."

4. Involve the family. Weight management is not just an adult issue these days; children need to take an interest in cooking healthy meals too. Spin a globe to pick a country and then incorporate the tastes of that country. Your children will learn about geography and culture, while cooking a healthy and delicious meal, too!

5. Indulge a little. You need to give in to temptation sometimes to maintain an overall healthy diet. Indulge yourself in moderation, however. Have a bowl of fresh fruit, topped with your favorite ice cream (as opposed to the other way around). "Never say never when it comes to the foods you love – you'll only set yourself up for failure," says Carla.

Carla will be sharing tips on eating healthy with natural foods and also sharing recipe cards she created exclusively for conference attendees. Now posted to the WHCC website is a podcast, in which Carla shares insights into healthy cooking during an interview with Tom Underwood. Alere will raffle several chef's jackets signed by Carla. Visit Alere Health and Carla Hall at WHCC booth #203 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Washington, D.C., on the following dates and times:

For more information about the conference, please visit the WHCC website.

About Carla Hall:

America fell in love with Carla's heart-felt approach as she cooked her way into the finals on season five of the award-winning Bravo show, Top Chef. Today, Carla continues to cook from the heart, and balances her Southern traditions, classic French training, and holistic approach to food as an entertaining expert, and owner and Executive Chef of Alchemy by Carla Hall in Washington, DC.

About Alere:

Alere Health is the health management services business of Alere Inc. (previously Inverness Medical Innovations) (NYSE: ALR). Alere, a Latin verb, meaning "to care for" or "to support", offers the most patient-centered health management services available from a single provider in the industry. Alere provides health interventions that cover an individual's entire lifespan, from pre-cradle to end-of-life care, as well as the continuum from wellness and prevention, to total health management of the individual for those having chronic illnesses. Alere's continuum of services begins with genetic testing, preconception, pregnancy, NICU and first year of life services; continues with lifelong programs focused on health, wellness and the management of chronic conditions such as heart failure, COPD, and asthma, up to the complex care management required in end-of-life care. For more information regarding Alere, please visit www.alere.com.